Overview

The 1979 Islamic Revolution triggered a cold war between Iran and the United States – former fast friends. Despite the US’s relentless efforts at containment, Iran has risen as a formidable power in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Gaza. Its newfound status not only frustrates the US but has swiftly become a thorn in the side of Israel and Saudi Arabia. How did Iran rise so rapidly? And as it faces ever increasing pressure at home and abroad, can it hold onto its power? Mohsen Milani guides us through the twists and turns of the Iran–US rivalry in the battlefields of the Middle East. Going from the fall of the Shah to revolutionary Iran’s alliances with Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iraqi militias, and the Houthis in the Axis of Resistance, Milani lifts the veil on Iran’s foreign policy strategy and its implications for the region, the US and Iran itself.

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Table of Contents

Reviews

‘This is a book of impressive depth and breadth… Essential reading for understanding the roots of US–Iran tensions and the unfolding of American and Iranian foreign policies in the Middle East.’ Mehran Kamrava, author of Righteous Politics: Power and Resilience in Iran  'Mohsen Milani’s brilliantly researched book is a timely analysis of how Iran has built up its regional power... an important contribution to understanding how Iran has pursued its interests over the past 70 years and gives clues on how it might navigate what could be an even more turbulent 2025.' * Financial Times * 'The seismic events in the Middle East over the past 15 months – from the 7 October attacks on Israel to the subsequent wars in Gaza and Lebanon – have all been heavily influenced by the actions of one country: Iran... Mohsen M Milani traces the rapid shift in Iran’s foreign policy since the 1979 revolution, focusing on the country’s cold war with the US.' * New Statesman * 'A sweeping, authoritative and erudite account of how and why Iran has emerged as a regional power in the Middle East. Milani shows how decades of U.S.-Iran rivalry and confrontation has provided both motive and opportunity to Iran to expand its reach into the Arab world, and why the mounting costs of this strategy could make it unsustainable. Highly readable, judicious and brimming with insights.' Vali Nasr, author of Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History   'Professor Milani, with his profound scholarship, has provided a most useful and readable guide to what at first appears incomprehensible: an Iran transformed from a monarchy with few enemies to an Islamic Republic with few friends.' John W. Limbert, former US ambassador

‘This is a book of impressive depth and breadth… Essential reading for understanding the roots of US–Iran tensions and the unfolding of American and Iranian foreign policies in the Middle East.’ Mehran Kamrava, author of Righteous Politics: Power and Resilience in Iran  'A sweeping, authoritative and erudite account of how and why Iran has emerged as a regional power in the Middle East. Milani shows how decades of U.S.-Iran rivalry and confrontation has provided both motive and opportunity to Iran to expand its reach into the Arab world, and why the mounting costs of this strategy could make it unsustainable. Highly readable, judicious and brimming with insights.' Vali Nasr, author of Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History   'Professor Milani, with his profound scholarship, has provided a most useful and readable guide to what at first appears incomprehensible: an Iran transformed from a monarchy with few enemies to an Islamic Republic with few friends.' John W. Limbert, former US ambassador

‘This is a book of impressive depth and breadth… Essential reading for understanding the roots of US–Iran tensions and the unfolding of American and Iranian foreign policies in the Middle East.’ Mehran Kamrava, author of Righteous Politics: Power and Resilience in Iran  'A sweeping, authoritative and erudite account of how and why Iran has emerged as a regional power in the Middle East. Milani shows how decades of U.S.-Iran rivalry and confrontation has provided both motive and opportunity to Iran to expand its reach into the Arab world, and why the mounting costs of this strategy could make it unsustainable. Highly readable, judicious and brimming with insights.' Vali Nasr, author of Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History  

Author Information

Mohsen M. Milani is the Founding Executive Director of the Center for Strategic & Diplomatic Studies and Professor of Politics at the University of South Florida. His previous books include The Making of Iran’s Islamic Revolution.

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